Bubble bath device

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION PROVIDE A BUBBLE BATH DEVICE WHICH IS OPERATED BY COMPRESSED-AIR GENERATING MEANS CUH AS A BLOWER OR A COMPRESSOR AND COMPRISES A SUPPORT FOR THE BODY OF A USER AND AT LEAST ONE TUBULAR CONDUIT WHICH IS IMMERSED IN A FOAM FORMING EMULSION AND EXTENDS ALONG AT LEAST PART OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE SUPPORT IN A PLANE BELOW THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE SUPPORT. THE TUBULAR CONDUIT, WHICH MAY BE A HOSE, HAS A PLURALITY OF VERY FINE   LATERAL APERTURES AND IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMPRESSED-AIR GENERATING MEANS SO THAT UPON ACTUATION OFTHE LATTER COMPRESSED AIR WILL BE DISCHARGED THROUGH THE APERTURES INTO THE FOAM FORMING EMULSION TO PRODUCE SMALL BUBBLE FOAM WHICH RISES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SUPPORT SO AS TO ENVELOP THE BODY OF THE USER FROM ABOVE.

L. BAUMANN BUBBLE sun DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1969 May 25, 1971 Luau/'6 DA UMAUAI ATTYJ.

United States Patent O 3,579,659 BUBBLE BATH DEVICE Ludwig Baumann, Niederhelfenschwil, Switzerland Filed Feb. 28, 1969, Ser. No.'803,170 Claims priority, applicgtliinzggelgium, Feb. 29, 1968,

US. Cl. 4180 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides a bubble bath device which is operated by compressed-air generating means such as a blower or a compressor and comprises a support for the body of a user and at least one tubular conduit which is immersed in a foam forming emulsion and extends along at least part of the periphery of the support in a plane below the upper surface of the support. The tubular conduit, which may be a hose, has a plurality of very fine lateral apertures and is in communication with the compressed-air generating means so that upon actuation of the latter compressed air will be discharged through the apertures into the foam forming emulsion to produce small bubble foam which rises on both sides of the support so as to envelop the body of the user from above.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a bubble bath device operated by compressed-air generating means such as a blower or a compressor and primarily serving for the preparation of baths that consist of bubble foam only.

Many persons who suffer from diseases or who are of weak physical constitution may not take plunge-baths in water since this might result in severe accidents or affect them.

It has been found that the body of a person lying in a bathing tub can be supplied with pleasant stimulating substances without the necessity of contact between body and water but by enveloping the body of the person in fine bubble foam. However, it is very troublesome to produce such fine bubble foam in quantities which are suflicient for this purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a bubble bath device which may be used either within a bathing tub or on a floor or the like to produce any desired amount of fine bubble foam.

To attain this object, the present invention provides a bubble bath device operated by compressed-air generating means, such as a blower, compressor and the like, which comprises (a) A support for the body of a user; and

(b) At least one tubular conduit extending round at least part of the periphery of said support in a plane below the upper surface of the support and having a plurality of laterally disposed very fine apertures to discharge compressed air into a foam forming emulsion in which the tubular conduit is immersed, said tubular conduit being in communication with compressed-air generating means so that upon actuation of the latter compressed air will be discharged through the lateral apertures in the tubular conduit into the foam forming emulsion to produce small bubble foam which rises on both sides of the support so as to envelop the body of the user from above.

When using the bubble bath device within a bathing tub, the support preferably is in the form of a grate which may have a hinged back rest and the tubular conduit may be a hose which is fixed to the outer lateral surfaces of the legs of the grate which, together with the hose, are immersed in the emulsion.

If the bubble bath device is used on a fioor or the like rather than in a bathing tube, as is the case for example in bathing halls in which a plurality of laterally spaced benches located on the fioor constitute the supports, the bubble bath device advantageously comprises two separate trough-like containers which are arranged adjacent the longitudinal sides of the benches, one of the side walls of each container having an upper extension curved in a direction towards its bench, and each container containing a laterally apertured tubular conduit which is in communication with the compressed-air generating means and adapted to be surrounded by the foam forming emulsion.

It is self-evident that the trough-like containers may also be rigidly connected to their associated bench.

In another embodiment of the invention the construction may be such that additional hoses are provided in the space between adjacent strips of the grate and are in communication with the compressed-air generating means through a regulating means so that either bubbles in water baths or baths that consist of bubble foam only are possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Two preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bubble bath device according to the invention for use within a bathing tub;

FIG. 2 is a cross section thereof on the line II-II of FIG. 1 and of a bathing tub accommodating said device, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modified bubble bath device for use on the floor, i.e. without bathing tub.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring tothe embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a bubble bath device for preparing allbubble baths in bathing tubs includes a support or grate 1 which has a hinged back rest 2 provided with a pillow. The grate 1 is provided with a plurality of legs 3, arranged to stand on the bottom of a bathing tub 7. A tubular conduit 4, such as a hose, is fixed to the outer lateral surfaces of the legs 3 and is provided with a plurality of very small laterally disposed apertures. The tubular conduit 4 extends round at least part of the periphery of the grate 1. Both ends of the tubular conduit 4 are connected to a distributing socket S into which a hose 6 connected to a blower, not shown, opens. The bathing tub 7 is filled with a foam forming emulsion 9 to a level below the plane of the grate 1 so that the legs 3 together with the conduit 4 are immersed in said emulsion. Upon actuation of the blower, compressed air will be discharged into the foam forming emulsion 9 through the very small apertures in the conduit 4. Thus, a fine bubble foam 8 will be produced which climbs the wall of the bathing tub 7 and envelops the body of the person on the grate 1 from above, as is indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2.

Additional apertured conduits that likewise are in communication with the blower to receive compressed air therefrom may be provided intermediate adjacent strips of the grate 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the bubble bath device may selectively be used for producing bubbles in water baths or baths that consist of bubble foam only.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is provided for a bench and can be used with advantage in the case of several benches that are spaced laterally, as is the case for example in bathing halls. A separate trough-like container 10 is loosely disposed on, or rigidly connected to, each side of the bench 1 provided with a hinged back rest 2 The side wall of each container 10 remote from the bench has an upper extension 11 curved in a direction towards the bench. The trough-like containers 10 receive the foaming emulsion to surround the conduits 4 which longitudinally extend through said containers and which are in communication with the blower, not shown. Communication between said conduits 4 and the hose 6 of the blower is again brought about by means of a distributing socket 5. The bubbles generated in the containers 10 upon actuation of the blower will climb the curved extensions 11 of the outer side walls of the containers to approach and envelop the body of the person lying on the bench.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bubble bath device operated by using compressed air generating means such as a blower, compressor and the like, to form bubbles in a foam forming emulsion, the combination comprising:

(a) a trough-like container means for holding the foam forming emulsion to dispose bubbles at least along a portion of the body of the user,

(b) at least one tubular conduit attached to the troughlike container means with a portion of the conduit being immersed in the foam forming emulsion and having a plurality of apertures to discharge air into said foam forming emulsion, and

() means connecting the tubular conduit to the compressed air generating means so that upon actuation of the compressed air generating means, compressed air will be discharged into the foam forming emulsion to produce small bubble foam which rises to envelop the body of the user.

2. In a device as defined in claim 1 wherein a support is provided for the body of the user and the tubular conduit extends around at least a part of the periphery of the support.

3. In a device as defined in claim 1 wherein a support is provided for the body of the user and the trough-like container means extends along at least a portion of the support.

4. In a device as defined in claim 3 wherein the apertures are laterally displaced along the tubular conduit which is immersed in the foam forming solution in a plane below the upper surface of the support.

5. In a device as defined in claim 1 wherein a bench support is provided for the body of the user and the container means includes two separate troughs disposed adjacent the longitudinal sides of the bench support,

the apertures are displaced along the portion of the tubular conduit which is immersed in the foam forming solution.

6. In a device as defined in claim 5 wherein one of the side walls of each separate trough includes an upper extension curved in a direction towards the bench support.

7. In a device as defined in claim 5 wherein the separate troughs are rigidly connected to each longitudinal side of the bench support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,775,942 9/1930 Millmather 4-180 2,649,861 8/ 1953 Melsheimer 4'180 3,111,686 11/1963 Sierant 4180 FOREIGN PATENTS 827,391 1/1952 Germany 4-180 HOUSTON S. BELL, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4-178, 1 

